HEIC is the high-efficiency format iPhone photos use by default. Browsers can't display it directly, so converting is needed to use or share it on the web.
JPG is the most widely used lossy format for photos. When you convert HEIC to JPG, you can open it in more places, a solid background replaces transparency and the file grows. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is HEIC, then converts it to JPG right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
HEIC vs JPG: what's the difference?
| Item | HEIC | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Transparent background | Yes | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 2015 | 1992 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | limited | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | No | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 0.5× | baseline (1×) |
What is HEIC?
HEIC is HEVC (H.265) compression packaged in the HEIF container, and Apple adopted it as the default camera format from iOS 11. At the same quality it takes up about half the space of JPG.
What is JPG?
JPG (JPEG) is a lossy format standardized in 1992. It drops information the human eye is less sensitive to, making photos very small. It is the format cameras and smartphones save by default, so it is the one you meet most often.
What changes when you convert HEIC to JPG
Transparent areas are filled with the background color you choose
JPG can't represent transparency. Transparent and semi-transparent areas are composited onto the background color in the options (white by default), so pick a matching color first if the image will be used on a dark screen.
An already-compressed image is compressed again
Both HEIC and JPG are lossy, so converting HEIC to JPG adds a little more degradation. Keeping quality at 90 or higher usually avoids visible differences, and it's best to convert from the original only once.
Live Photo video and depth data are dropped
Besides the main photo, a HEIC can contain extras such as a short video and a depth map. The result contains only the main photo.
You can adjust quality, size and background color
When converting HEIC to JPG, you can use the quality slider (default 90), exact width-and-height sizing with margin fill, and percentage resizing. HEIC is already lossy, so pushing quality too low stacks up visible degradation. Even when size matters, try not to go below 80.
How the file size changes
For the same photo, JPG tends to be larger than HEIC (about 2.0×). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
JPG opens in more places
Support for HEIC in programs, document tools and upload forms is limited, while JPG is nearly everywhere. If you need to upload somewhere HEIC wouldn't open, try again after converting.
When to convert
- You need to upload to a program, messenger or upload form that can't open HEIC
- You want to use it on a website or blog but browsers can't display HEIC
- You're submitting to a place that doesn't need transparency (print, certificates, a product's main image) with a white background
- You want to open photos taken on an iPhone on a Windows PC or Android
HEIC → JPG: practical tips
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose "Most Compatible" and new photos are saved as JPG from the start. Use this converter for the photos you've already taken, many at once.
HEIC is about half the size of JPG, but at the same visual quality the converted file can end up larger. Keeping the quality slider between 80 and 90 balances size and quality well.
EXIF data such as GPS location is removed during conversion, so it also works as a privacy step before posting photos on social networks or resale sites.